MAKHACHKALA, May 31 (RIA Novosti) - A militant, holed up in an apartment, has been killed in a special operation in the capital of Russia's North Caucasus Republic of Daghestan, the republican security department said on Sunday.

"The militant, who was holed up in a multi-story apartment block in Makhachkala, has been killed. According to preliminary information, he has been identified as Gasan Gasanov, a member of the Kizil-Yurt armed gang," the security department said.

Two security officers were wounded during the operation against the militant who put up armed resistance, the security department said.

Daghestan and Ingushetia have seen a rise in violence recently linked both to militants based in neighboring Chechnya and local criminal groups.